Baby Woes...
by Jess Idres
Summary: Mendanbar and Cimorene have found out she's pregnant! What does that mean for Mendanbar's sanity?


Hiya Folks! I'm baaack! As if you could get rid of me. This is the brand new first chapter of my third Ellipses universe story, "Baby Woes..." What's that? I already had a fic called "Baby Woes"? Yes, but after the mixed reviews, I decided to make this story better.  
WARNING: The first chapter is the only chapter that will fit into the original universe. The rest will save Mendanbar being locked in a closet for 17 years. I mean, how sexually frustrated must he had been after all that time! Unless someone comes up with a good solution, he won't suffer under my pen (or keyboard). Enough reviews, and I will continue this fic, I promise. Meanwhile, don't forget the other two stories in the Ellipses universe: "Another day, another Knight..." and "A desk is just a desk, but a sword..."  
  
Baby Woes...  
By Jess Idres  
Characters created by Patricia Wrede  
  
Mendanbar strummed his fingers against the magic harp that sat in the room that was going to be occupied by the baby soon. As the harp began a soft lullaby that floated on the light breeze in the room, he looked around the room in amazement at all the things that Cimorene has managed to arrange in the past two weeks that they knew she was pregnant with their first child.  
Both he and Willin had tried to get her to let the maids and other servants to arrange the room for her, but she had made it clear that she was carrying the child, so she was the best person to know what the baby would like. She had made the bedroom rather simple and airy, but there were hints of things one would find in a boy's room. Mendanbar mused at how sure Cimorene was that she, no *they* were having a boy. Must be another one of those talents she had her sleeve.  
He was even more amazed how quickly the news had spread. The magic mirror had be receiving calls nonstop, so much so that they had made the gargoyle in the study the official 'answering device'. He suspected Willin had made a few calls to his relatives and Cimorene's parents as soon as they knew, but half the people calling to congratulate the Royal Couple he had never even heard of, much less met. Cimorene's fairy godmother had even called offering her services. Cimorene had politely but firmly mentioned that they already had the two godmothers for the child.  
Everyone, though was elated at their encroaching parenthood. Some had been surprised that Cimorene was pregnant so soon after the wedding (hard to believe it had only been a year), but their closer friends had quietly wondered if Mendanbar had been "shooting blanks", much to his annoyance. When they had told Kazul, whom had been quickly decided as godmother (along with Morwen), she had outright wondered out loud why Cimorene hadn't been pregnant at the wedding. Mendanbar had decided quickly after that he should ban jokes about the King's sex life, but Cimorene had talked him out of it. He had to admit, he didn't mind the jokes as long as he got "talked out" of passing gag laws.  
That was another thing that was very new to Mendanbar. He was still unsure how to treat a woman who was pregnant. He had been an only child, and with his parents gone, he had nowhere to get proper advice on the subject. He knew that many other people made it through without help, but he was very worried that their trials would be even worse, thanks to the utmost attention the odd Royal couple got from the Enchanted forest and beyond. He certainly didn't want to hurt either one of them, but Cimorene could be...insistent. He even found himself forgetting she was even pregnant until she suffered from sickness in the morning.  
Mendanbar kept strolling through the room, admiring his wife's wonderful handiwork, until a small object in the wooden crib caught his eye. It was a small, worn, stuffed cat, with two button eyes, one recently re-stitched. He reached down and stroked the matted fur.  
"I found it in a chest in a back corner of the left tower's attic." Mendanbar turned to face Cimorene, who stood at the door. She walked over and crouched down next to him, and stroked the cat's worn left ear. "I thought maybe it was your father's, or a relative's. I just thought it was perfect-"  
"It was mine." Mendanbar stood up and looked out the window. "Was given to me by my mom's aunt. He was stuck to my side for six years." He bounced the stuffed cat in his hand. "Dad eventually took him away, saying he wasn't proper attire for a prince of age." He suddenly sank down on a stool. "My Gods...I'm going to be a father. How will I know how to act? How will I make sure I don't warp his poor little brain? My father wasn't any good at it? What if it's hereditary?" Mendanbar gained a rather pained look on his face, and hugged his wife's midsection.  
Cimorene looked down at her husband and raised a brow. "What's hereditary?"  
He buried his head in her gown. "Being a horrible father! Being a stuffed shirt!" He wailed. He pulled back and looked at her stomach. "Son, I apologize in advance for any psychological damage I may cause."  
Cimorene smacked Mendanbar on the head. "Stop it! You're probably scaring the poor thing!" She smoothed her fingers through his raven hair, calming him down considerably. He looked up at her through his thick lashes with knowing gray eyes before standing up.  
"Sorry, love. I guess I lost my head." He kissed her forehand chastely. "It's all just so...confusing."  
"Tell me about it."  
  
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Like it? Hate it? Tell me! 


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